Alcohol Prevents Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice

The risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis was reduced in mice given a mixture of tap water and 10 percent alcohol daily (an amount not toxic to the mouse liver), according to BBC News. Swedish researchers were attempting to define the mechanism involved in alcohol preventing rheumatoid arthritis, not treating rheumatoid arthritis.

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In the study, published December 21, 2006 in the early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, male mice were injected with collagen to induce rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers reported lower disease onset and the development of fewer destructive symptoms in mice which drank water with 10 percent alcohol added than in mice which drank plain water.

The study has no direct application to humans because the amount of alcohol which would produce the same result in humans is undefineable and may result in liver toxicity. It's important to remember that humans take medications which have liver toxicity as a possible side effect and alcohol consumption can magnify that effect.

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